Step 3: Gluing in the support

Step 4: Finished!

I would let the boxes dry overnight before putting clothing in them, but they should be quite a bit stronger now. I didn't stack them any higher than...

I tend to pick up and move often, so I wanted to find a way to keep my furniture to a minimum while having enough storage space to keep all my clothes and things stowed, yet easy to access. I also wanted to keep my moving boxes, so I don't have to beg and scrounge for boxes every few months, or worse, actually have to buy some.

Our local library has stacks of empty computer paper boxes available for anyone to have. With a little structural support, they become stackable storage that will still function as good sized moving boxes.

Step 1: Materials

- wood glue (I happened to have a half bottle on hand from other projects)

- ruler (any straight edge will do)

- clamps (I picked these up for about $.50 apiece at my local Big Lots... you can get by without them, but it makes the process easier and quicker)

- computer paper boxes (I got a dozen from my local library, office buildings would have lots of extras, too. Pretty much anywhere that has several printers in use)

Step 2: Cutting out a support

Without a support, the boxes will buckle and become useless quickly.

To make the support, grab some scrap cardboard (or sacrifice one of the boxes), and cut a 6.5" by 11" rectangle. The long edge of the rectangle should be in line with the lines on the cardboard to provide the most support. You can use the 11" side of the box to measure the long edge of the rectangle. The shorter edge doesn't have to be exact, I found 6" to 7" an easy size to work with that is still big enough to do the job.

Once you have the rectangle, you can check the size by sliding it lengthwise into the box. You can then use that rectangle as a template to cut out however many supports you need.